What does Russia's failed mission say about their space industry?

Last Wednesday, an unmanned craft was launched by Russia to bring dirt from the Martian moon Phobos. It failed in its mission, however, when it got stuck in the Earth's orbit and dropped down into the atmosphere within mere days. While this may seem like a surprising result, many space veterans were skeptical of the mission's ambitions. A lack of expertise, outdated equipment, and fragile infrastructure contributed to the botched mission. While Russia  is more active than the U.S. in its space missions, it lacks the innovation, intellectual capital, and gear to launch such excursions.

 

SOURCE: Reuters